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The Environment Agency has recently set out plans to help secure future water supplies and a healthy water environment in England and Wales.

Water resources are already under pressure in many parts of England and Wales. In England, some 25 million people live in areas where there is less water available per person than Spain or Morocco. The average person in England and Wales currently uses 148 litres – 260 pints – every day.

Although climate change will lead to more heavy downpours and increase the risk of flooding, overall it could reduce the amount of water available in rivers in England and Wales by ten to 15 per cent by 2050, and could reduce natural flows in rivers by up to as much as 80 per cent during summer months.

This, along with a forecast 15 million increase in the population of England and Wales by 2051, will put even greater pressure on limited water supplies. By 2020, demand for water could rise by five per cent or 800 million litres every day – enough to fill every bath in Wales, the West Midlands and North East of England (4.6 million baths).

The Water Resources Strategy Action Plan sets the direction for how the Environment Agency and other groups will protect and improve water resources in the future.  Measures the Environment Agency believes are necessary include a review of the structure of the water industry and actions to reduce water consumption to help lower the country’s carbon emissions.

The Environment Agency wants to work with industry to introduce an extended water efficiency labeling system for appliances.  It will continue to promote near-universal water metering of households in England, prioritising the most water stressed areas first.  The Environment Agency believes that metering should be considered in other parts of England and Wales as part of a longer term solution, taking account of vulnerable groups.

The Action Plan builds upon the organisation’s water resources strategy for England and Wales published last March. A separate action plan for Wales has been developed based on the Water Resources Strategy for Wales.

The Environment Agency’s Ian Barker, Head of Water said: “Water is essential for life and vital to our economy. But climate change and population growth mean that in the future there may not be enough water in England and Wales unless we start planning and acting now.

“People and businesses need to use less water. The actions in our new plan cover steps that need to be taken by water companies, government, regulators, business and the public. We need a joined up approach to managing water supplies to prevent a water crisis in the future.

“We look forward to working together with all our stakeholders to deliver the actions outlined in our plan. By working together we hope to make sure that there is enough water for people and the environment whatever the future might have in store.”

The action plan can be found here: www.environment-agency.gov.uk/wrs

For more information please contact Environment Agency National Press Office on 0207 863 8642 or outside normal office hours, please contact the National Duty Press Officer on 07798 882 092.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Environment Agency is responsible for managing water resource in England and Wales. Our vision for water resources is that there will be enough water for people and the environment for present and future generations. This means that we must make sure there is sufficient water for households, agriculture, commerce and industry, and for our water-related environment.

The Environment Agency’s water resource strategy sets out key recommendations in the following areas:

Metering
• The promotion of water metering of households in England, prioritising the most water stressed areas first.
• In Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government consider that increased use of metering has a part to play in the longer term, but want the needs of vulnerable groups to be part of a solution.  In Wales, there is not the need for compulsory water metering at this time. 
• The development of suitable tariffs to accompany metering to provide an incentive to reduce use and to protect vulnerable groups

Water industry and regulation
• A complete review of the way the water industry is regulated. Stronger incentives should be introduced that reward water companies for managing demand
• The need for better sharing of water across company boundaries
• The production and delivery of water reduction targets for different categories of use (for example, the food industry already has a target of a 20 per cent water demand reduction by 2020)

Water efficient products and regulations for new buildings
• An enhanced and extended water efficiency labeling system for all appliances that use water
• More stringent water efficiency standards for fixtures, fittings and appliances;
• Tighter water efficiency standards in planning conditions for new buildings in areas where water resources are under most pressure

Key facts

Population
• The Office for National Statistics’ forecast is for a 15 million increase in the population of England and Wales by 2051, with high scenarios considering an increase of 25 million. The Environment Agency’s water resources strategy considers future scenarios, including the potential impact of a further 20 million people.

Water in the home
• The average person in England and Wales uses 148 litres of water per day, the equivalent of 260 pints
• If the entire adult population of England and Wales turned off the tap while brushing their teeth, we could save enough water to fill 72 Olympic sized swimming pools
• Washing your car with a hosepipe can use more water than the average family uses in a whole day
• People who have a water meter generally use 10 to 15 per cent less water than those without
• England and Wales are almost unique among developed countries in that most households are not metered (approximately 70 per cent are unmeasured)

Future pressures
• By 2020, demand for water could rise by five per cent or 800 million litres a day - enough to fill 4.6 million baths
• By 2050, climate change could reduce the amount of water available by ten to 15 per cent
• By 2050, average summer river flows in England and Wales could reduce by as much as 50 to 80 per cent

Water and carbon emissions
• 6.3 per cent of UK CO2 emissions are related to water use - and 89 per cent of these are related to heating water in the home
• The near-universal metering of households could reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to between 27 and 40 per cent of the total UK Carbon Reduction Commitment target
• Consumers could save up to £140 per year on energy and water bills by using hot water more efficiently